Virginia Tech Swine Center

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The Virginia Tech Swine Center plays a vital role in the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences today as it has for decades.  Currently there are sixty crossbred sows at the center.  Many of the sows are white cross maternal sows, but there are also several show pig sows.  There are six farrowings per year mainly in the fall and spring to correspond with classes. 

Students in both Swine Production (APSC 4444) and Introduction to Animal and Poultry Sciences Lab (APSC 1464) take advantage of the Swine Center to gain hands on experience that cannot come from a classroom. In addition, the Swine Center supplies pigs for classes such as Livestock Evaluation (APSC 3754), Meat Science (APSC/FST 3214), and several Ag. Tech and Veterinary Medicine classes.  There are also several volunteers who help at the Swine Center on a regular basis to gain experience and learn more about swine production and management.   

The Swine Center is involved in many other activities both on campus and in the surrounding community.  Pigs from the center are used for Block and Bridle's annual Little International Livestock show, 1st and 4th Grade Farm Days, and Governors School Projects.

Pigs are also sold at various times during the year, including the Hokie Harvest Sale in October and the annual Feeder Pig Sale in February.  Pigs are also available for sale to the public (contact Mike Ashby for more information).